Device for handling metal section members, and more particularly rails, in order to harden them



' M. BLAGE Jan 2,143,753

DEVICE FOR HANDLING METAL SECTION MEMBERS.. AND MORE PARTICULARLY RAILS.IN ORDER TO HARDEN THEM Filed April 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 q r J 5 9Q g H in lw m F flu N fimil i M NN & U M J Jan.

FIG.3

10, 1939. M. BLAGE 2,143,753

DEVICE FOR HANDLING METAL SECTION MEMBERS AND MORE PARTICULARLY- RAILS,IN ORDER -TO HARDEN THEM N Filed April 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan.10, 1939.

M DEVICE FOR HANDLING ME EARTICULARLY RAILS BLAG 2 TAL SECTION MEMBERS IAND MOR IN ORDER To HARDEN THEM Filed April 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 P2,143,753 AL SECTION MEMBERS."AN

Jan. 10, 1939. BLAGE DEVICE FOR HANDLING MET 1: om; PARTICULARLY RAILS,IN ORDER TO mama; THEM Filed April 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Shet 4 I Jan. 10,1939. M. BLAGE 2,143,753

METAL SECTION MEMBERS. AND MOR PARTICULARLY RAILS, IN 0 EDEN THEM DEVICEFOR HANDLING E RDER TO ,HA

6. Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 22, 1936 Jan. 10, 1939. M. BLAGE'2,143,753

DEVICE FOR HANDLING METAL SECTION MEMBERS. AND MORE PARTICULARLY RAILS,IN ORDER TO HARDEN THEM Filed April 22, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 6 \k Inna/hr Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR HANDLING MIETALSECTION 'IVIEMBERS, .AND

MORE PARTICULARLY RAILS, IN ORDER TO HAR-DEN THEM Marcel Blag,Herserange, France, assignor to Socit Anonyme des Hauts Fourneaux de laChiers, Longwy, France Application April 22, 1936, Serial No. 75,879 InFrance May 3, 1935 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for handling metal section members,and more particularly rails, for hardening them, which device utilizes amovable support of a known type which, after displacement of Suitableamplitude, moves the part to be hardened into contact with the hardeningbath. One and the same ingot can, in gen- .eral, give a plurality ofbars, and it is very advantageous to treat at the same time all the barsobtained from one and the same ingot. This .mode of procedure allows:

(1) Obtaining regularity in the hardening of all the bars of one andthe. same ingot;

(2) Savingan important amount of time;

(3) Reducing the cumbersomeness of the plant.

Apparatus of this type have already been proposed, and the means forturning a rail over for hardening it is known.

The features of the mechanical device forming the subject-matter of theinvention have been devised 'for ensuring rational handling of theproducts for the purpose of obtaining regular and homogeneous hardening.

The apparatus comprises a shaft on which are rigidly secured steppedarms adapted to receive and hold, during hardening, the section membersto be treated, and, parallel to said shaft, harden ing vats to which therails or section members are ledby a movement of rotation of said arms.The latter are provided with devices for holding a plurality of barsand, on the other hand, the

vatsare arranged in stepped relation corresponding to the number of barswhich can be treated at the same time by the apparatus.

The accompanying drawings diagrammatically illustrate, by way of exampleonly, an embodiment of the invention in which the apparatus isconstructed for allowing three rails to be hard-- ened at the same time.But it is to be understood that the invention is not in any way limitedto this particular case and that it also concerns an apparatus for thetreatment of any other number of rails. Likewise, it is obvious that theap paratus which will be described can serveior hardening one or twobars only.

Figs. 1,2 and .3 are sections, made at right angles to the shaft 1 ofthe apparatuathese figures particularly illustrate the portion of theapparatus in which the rails are placed on the arms.

Figs. 4. 5 and 6 are similar sections butillus trate the portion of theapparatus where hardening is effected and where-unloading of the railstreated takes place; these figures illustrate the successive .phases ofthe operation. 7

Fig. '7 is a perspective view showing one of the hook-controllingmechanisms; in this figure are shown the cylinder, as well as thecombination of the links, hooks and adjustable abutments.

Fig. 8 shows, on an enlarged scale, the detail of an adjustableabutment.

Figs. 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views showing the operation of themechanism controlling the rotation of the arms, Fig. 9 showing theposition of the parts at the time the rails are placed in position onthe arms, whilst Fig. 10 shows the position of the same parts at thetime of immersion.

Fig. 11 is a plan view, on a small scale, of the 15 plant. It will beseen that the device, forming the subject-matter of the invention,designated as a whole by T, is placed between the yard AV (whichlatteris situated between the rolling mill and the device) and the yardAR from which the treated rails are evacuated. The principle of thecirculation of the products in a continuous line is therefore respected.

The shaft l receives a movement of rotation,

which is impart-ed thereto by means of the motor 9 (Fig. 11) through themedium of a control mechanism (see Figs. 9 and 10) transforming thecontinuous circular movement of the. motor into a circular reciprocatingmovement. This mechanism essentially comprises a link and crank de- 3vice ill-ll: the crank ll receives a continuous movement of rotationwhich is imparted thereto by the motor 9 to which it is connected by anysuitable transmission (worm and worm wheel, for instance) constituting agearing down device; the link ill connects the crank toa toothedsegmenti2 meshing with a pinion l3 actuating shaft I. Electromechanical devicesrender the control of this mechanism automatic and allow immersions ofvariable duration and their temporization 40 at will.

The stepped armsZ are so devised as to receive and hold, during theoperation, the number of rails (three in the example described andillustrated) which are to be simultaneously treated. For that purpose,abutments 3. iand 5 (Fig. 1) are provided on the arms and they arecombined with movable hooks ii, 1 and 8 (Fig. 1) controlled, as will beindicated later on, by pneumatic or hydraulic rocking cylinders.

All the rails obtained from one and the same ingot are conveyed from therolling mill to the apparatus by a roller bed or table It. The rails cansuccessivelybe placed in position on the apparatus by means of shiftingmembers l5 by lats5 eral displacement owing to the arrangement of stepson the arms 2. This mode of procedure allows rapid clearing of theroller bed or table l4.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Fig. 1 shows the placing in position of the first rail I. For thisoperation, the arms 2 are moved to their lowest position by rotation ofshaft l, which rotates in bearings Hi.

In its displacement from the bank of rollers to a point adjacent theapparatus, the rail has been moved along by the various shifting membersl5 while in order to pass from this last position to the fixed lockedposition against the abutment 3, it is pushed by the respective pivotedbeaks of the shifting members l5.

As soon as the rail I has been pushed against the abutment 3, whichconstitutes an aligning member, the pneumatic cylinders l'l act throughthe medium of the shaft l8, the levers l9 and the links 20 in such amanner as to raise the hooks 6 against the rail. This causes the lockingand the holding of the rail by its base upon the apparatus while at thesame time permitting it to effect freely its linear contraction duringtempering. There is shown in Fig. 8 particularly, the adjustableabutment 2| while the particular locking action is shown in Figures 1, 2and 3.

The locking of the first rail being thus effected, the shifting membersl5 return towards the roller bed or table for taking the second rail.

During this time, shaft I has been caused to rotate, in order toslightly move the arms 2 upwardly and to allow them of receiving thesecond rail. The apparatus passes from the position shown in Fig. l tothat illustrated in Fig. 2.

The latter shows the shifting members effecting the placing in positionof the second rail II in the same manner as for the first rail; thelocking is effected independently of the preceding one by means of asimilar device, comprising a cylinder 22', a shaft 23, levers 24, links25 and movable hooks 1.

The second rail being locked in position, the preceding operations arerepeated for placing the third rail in position:

Lifting of the arms 2 tothe suitable position (shown in Fig. 3). returnmovement of the shifting members H: for taking the third rail (III)which will slide during its entire displacement to the bottom of thefixed hooks or abutments 5 and, finally, actuation of the movable hooks8 by a cylinder 26 (independent of the cylinders l1 and 22' previouslymentioned), shafts 21, levers 28 and links 29.

Once the third rail has been locked, the device being in the conditionshown in Fig. 3, the shifting members l5 move backward and the hardeningoperation proper may begin (Fig. 4).

For effecting this operation, the apparatus is caused to describe aclockwise movement of rotation (direction indicated by the arrow, F,Fig. 3) this movement is of such an amplitude that the heads of therails secured on the arms 2 of the apparatus are immersed in thehardening bath.

Owing to the arrangement of the apparatus and to the fact that thehardening is effected in independent vats 30, 3| and 32 (Fig. 4)arranged at different levels relatively to each other, all the railscarried by the apparatus are immersed at the same time and to the sameextent.

'Fig. 4 shows, in dot and dash lines, the position occupied by the arms2 with their rails I, II, III, at the time of hardening.

The inner arrangements of vats 30, 3| and 32 is the same. Each vat issupplied with cold water by a separate header 33, the water beingadmitted through the bottom by means of pipes 34, and it is thendistributed in a first chamber 35 separated from the chamber 36 by asheet metal plate 35' having large perforations which allow water tofreely enter the chamber 36,.

The water comes in contact with the rail by passing through a secondperforated sheet metal plate 3?; this sheet metal plate is provided withperforations very close to each other and it is combined with solidvertical inner sheet metal plates 38 inside the vats 30, 3| and 32. Thiscombination guides the cold water towards the head of the rails andprevents hot water from mixing with cold water by convection movements.A very important economy in water is thus obtained. Hot water isinstantaneously discharged in troughs 39 and is evacuated, through pipes40, into a main header.

During the hardening operation, the shifting members 4| are movedbackward so as to clear the hardening vat; as soon as the hardeningoperation has been eiTected, the arms 2 are raised for moving them tothe position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 4, and the shiftingmembers 4! come in position under the rail I, the noses 42 of saidshifting members being capable of rocking for passing under the railwhen the members 4| move towards the arms 2. The hooks 6 are opened bymeans of the cylinders and of the mechanisms controlled by thesecylinders and which have been used for locking the rails, thus releasingthe rail I which falls upon the shifting members 4|; the latterdischarge the rail on the yard AR.

The arms of the apparatus are then moved to the position shown in Fig.5, the rail II is released in the same manner, and it is discharged onthe yard.

The apparatus again moves down to the necessary extent (see Fig. 6) torelease the rail III in the same manner as the preceding rails.

The apparatus thus cleared of rails returns to the starting position(Fig. 1), and a new series of I operations can begin.

Owing to the device forming the subject-matter of the invention, thehardening operation does not cause any disturbance in the normaldischarge of the products when they issue from the rolling mill, therapid clearing of the roller bed or table and the discharge of theproducts always in the same direction constitute important advantages.

For obtaining a satisfactory hardening, it is not sufficient to dip onlyonce in water the parts to be hardened; it is sometimes necessary toefiect several successive immersions and emersions and during definiteperiods of time.

The special control mechanism (Figs. 9'and 10) comprising a link andcrank device, allows,

. near dead centers, which are the securing and hardening positions ofthe rails, of obtaining a very high accuracy in the points of stoppageof the apparatus and, consequently, in the depth of immersion.

The diagrammatic views of Figs. 9 and 10 show, in fact, that at thepoints under consideration the position of the arms is not practicallyaffected by a small angular difference in the point of stoppage of theapparatus.

The control of this link and rack mechanism ensures, moreover, highsecurity by avoiding accidents at the end of the displacement. Theabsence of abutment, against which the apparatus would break in case ofshock, gives the operator the required confidence enabling him to effectwith the indispensable mastery the multiple and successive operations ofimmersion and emersion during one and the same hardening operation.

The apparatus described is so devised and the various mechanical unitsare so arranged as to centralize the members of the controls to beactuated by an electromechanical equipment effecting the operations thesequence and durations of Which are fixed beforehand.

The stepped shape given to the arms 2 in the device forming thesubject-matter of the invention constitutes an important improvementrelatively to the systems already known. The advantage presented by theshape of arm is shown by the following remarks: For ensuring rapidclearing of the roller bed or table, necessary for obtaining acontinuous and regular operation of the rolling mill, the bars must beshifted as soon as they have been out into sections when issuing fromthe rolling mill.

On the other hand, it is necessary, before hardening to straighten thebar which might have begun to curve which, particularly in the case ofrails, would prevent the movable hooks from engaging with the railflange. The straightening of the bar is automatically ensured, accordingto the invention, by the inclines of the fixed abutments against whichthe bars come upright under the thrust of the shifting members.

It results from the foregoing that fixed abute ments must be provided onthe arms. But as the latter must receive a plurality of bars to betreated, it is obvious that these abutments would constitute obstaclespreventing the placing in position of the various bars if they weresituated in one and the same plane. The stepped arrangement of the fixedabutments remedies all inconveniences; it renders consistent thenecessity of providing on the arms the fixed abutments mentioned abovewith the possibility of simultaneously treating several bars by means ofthe device forming the subject-matter of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for removing rails from a rolling mill run out table andimmersing them in a bath for the purpose of hardening them comprising arotatable shaft, arms, having stepped portions, on said shaft, meanscooperating with the stepped portions on said arms for aligning andlocking rails on said stepped portions and means for rotating said armsto a plurality of positions for receiving a plurality of rails in saidstepped portions and for immersing said rails each in a separate bathfor hardening the same.

2. An apparatus for removing rails from a rolling mill run out table andimmersing them in a bath for the purpose of hardening them comprising arotatable shaft, arms, having stepped portions, on said shaft, meanscooperating with the stepped portions on said arms for aligning andlocking rails on said stepped portions and means for rotating said armsto a plurality of positions for receiving a plurality of rails in saidstepped portions and for immersing said rails each in a separate bathfor hardening the same, and means for unlocking and removing said railsafter they have been hardened from said stepped portions.

3. An apparatus for removing rails from a rolling mill run out table andimmersing them in a bath for the purpose of hardening them comprising arotatable shaft, arms, having stepped portions, fixed to said shaft,means for moving the rails to said arms, abutments on said arms againstwhich said rails are moved and thereby align securing means for therails on said arms cooperating with the stepped portions thereof wherebya plurality of rails may be supported on said arms, a series ofhardening vats arranged at different levels in which the rails carriedby said arms may be hardened and means for rotating said shaft andthereby said arms so as to carry a plurality of rails at one time andimmerse each rail in a separate vat.

4. An apparatus for removing rails from a rolling mill run out table andimmersing them in a bath for the purpose of hardening them comprising ashaft, a plurality of arms fixed to said shaft having stepped portionsthereon for receiving a plurality of rails to be hardened, means foraligning said rails on said stepped portions means located on said armscooperating with said stepped portions for locking said rails in alignedposition to said arms and means for rotating said shaft after aplurality of rails are supported on said arms to transfer said railsfrom the run out table of the rolling mill to a series of hardeningbaths for said rails.

5. An apparatus for removing rails from a rolling mill run out table andimmersing them in a bath for the purpose of hardening them comprising ashaft, a plurality of arms fixed to said shaft having stepped portionsthereon for receiving a plurality of rails to be hardened abutments onsaid arms against which said rails are aligned, pivoted means located onsaid arms cooperating with said abutments for locking said rails to saidarms and means for oscillating said shaft after a plurality of rails aresupported on said arms from the run out table of the rolling mill to aseries of stepped hardening baths for said rails.

MARCEL BLAGE.

